The Universe is like electricity and we are like lamps that let the light shine through. Unless we’re plugged in, we don’t shed any light.

"Enlightenment is a shift in self-perception. From body identification to spirit identification."

“If I identify with my body, my circumstances, I’m identifying with the lamp. If I identify with my spirit, I’m identifying with something much bigger than me, something which flows through me, and lights up the entire Universe."

Change thought of intention from “my intention” to the intention of the Universe.

“The Universe intends that you become the highest possible creative manifestation for this life."

If we allow ourselves to be used for the intention of the Universe, that is how we find our highest actualization, our purpose.

Three processes natural to the Universe:

1. Actualization

2. Collaboration

3. Service

“We either say ‘use me natural intelligence,’ or we don’t."

"That is wrong with the human race. We have been infected by a spiritual malignancy. That spiritual malignancy is that it’s all about me."

“When we’re not operating from that natural intelligence, we’re like lamps that aren’t plugged in."

“The sickness of our society is that we have become transactional rather than relational."

“May all loving thought for all living things, past, present and future, occur here. When love is present, natural intelligence flows through.

"If your intention in any situation is to give love … "

“The highest expression is, ‘Dear God, use me.’"

"If your spirit is your primary relationship, then your relationship with other people will be correct."

“Any time I define myself, I see myself as separate from others."

“On the level of spirit, there is no place where you stop and I start."

“Every relationship is actually an assignment made by natural intelligence to foster the intentionality of the Universe."

“Relationships are laboratories of the spirit.” friction in relationships offers opportunities for soul growth. “They are the places where the wounds that we hold will be brought up because that is the only way they can be healed."

“When a person shows you their wounds, and we all have them … “ “As adults, that wound on the body (small child example), manifests as a character defect or neuroses, and instead of kissing the 'boo-boo,' we reject the person."

Right relationship to the Universe, is to be an instrument of Love. Otherwise, I’m not actualized. And, if I’m not actualized, I cannot collaborate with you. "This relationship is so that we might be collaborative in serving the flow of love through all living things."

"The reason relationships don’t work is because we are trying use them for our purpose only."

“Our purpose here is to be used for something higher than ourselves and to greet everyone we meet with that with that namaste consciousness where we know this is something holy going on here."

“We wake up in the morning and we ask that our intention be to ask natural intelligence, “Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say? And, to whom?” This puts you in right relationship and intentionality with the Universe.

"Either God is in everyone or God is in no one."

I’m just like everybody else. I’m just as wounded as everybody else. I’m just as hurt as everybody else. I’m just as hungry for love as everybody else. - that gives you empathy. That gives you compassion.

In that condition, relationship isn’t something you have to strive for. Cells are in relationship with each other. And then we heal.

In cancer, the body gets confused and starts protecting the cancer. We do that with our wounds. We coddle them, examine them, protect them.

“I might be wounded but I can choose not to act from my wound.” I am NOT my wound. My wound was a gift to help me learn.

If I’m having an awful, negative, critical, blaming, victimizing thought, I can surrender it. I am willing to think about this differently.

There is no devil “out there;” it’s in our mind. What there is in all of us is the tendency to perceive without love.

How do we make our relationships better? Pray for their happiness. That’s plugging in the lamp.

"We can take a stand for love. We can take a stand for the Universe, We can take a stand for enlightenment, We can take a stand for God, We can take a stand for our own self. That is self love"

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Yesterday, a spirit left her physical body. I’m sure there were many across the planet who did the same, each leaving holes in their small circles of friends and family. Each leaving a wake of loss and grief.

My focus today, though, is Maggi Butterfield-Brown. It’s hard to capture Maggi in words; pictures of her are so much better. Seeing Maggi meant seeing her laughing, dancing, twirling in any of the outrageously unique and beautiful outfits she put together with an artist’s eye. Maggi’s energy was a vortex that pulled people in and made them feel bigger, better, more creative, and more alive.

Maggi's Buddha

Without her, without knowing that I will see that smile again, I feel smaller, somehow deflated. Yet, I know that’s the last thing Maggi would want for her flock. She was a builder-upper, an encourager. She topped off our mugs of love until they overflowed. No one went unloved in Maggi’s presence.

Maggi, Angelo Pizelo and me at the Positive Living Center

When we talked and Maggi told me her stories, I tried to figure out where all that love and overflowing generosity came from. She didn’t have a safe, loving childhood. She didn’t have a “normal” marriage-and-children life. She was an accountant, for heaven’s sake.

The only thing I can figure is that she brought it with her. She came swaddled in love and bright colors and her purpose was to share those things with as many people as possible. She did her job with pizazz and such incredible grace. Just watching her laughing dance was enough to make me want to climb new mountains.

Maggi at Art Walk

I’m sure there are many of us this morning trying to figure out how to go forward without Maggi’s colorful self as part of our physical world. To say she will be missed doesn’t begin to describe our loss. However, with that grief comes an overwhelming gratitude for having been in Maggi’s presence even for a short while.

Perhaps, it’s that gratitude that we have to hold onto. Also, for me, I feel a call to step deeper into my own spirit and life and try to pass along some of Maggi’s love and generosity, some of her colorful energy, some piece of that incredible gift that she gave so many of us.

Searching for Thanksgiving pie in Costco

Thank you, Maggi … I hope you know how many of us love you and how wide your gift of love has spread. Dance on.

PS Another memory of Maggi:The story of pie. First, we decided to be good. Then we decided to be
sorta good. Finally, we threw caution to the wind and bought a 58-ounce
Costco pumpkin pie (and a half gallon of whipping cream!) and tossed the
gluten-free "healthy" version where it belonged. Plus Maggi got her first in-store driving lesson. (kids beware!)